Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-01-05
THE B. & O. HORROR.
EXCITEMENT IN THIS CITY OVER THBNBWS
FROM TIFFIN.
Bsrgass-Massr ". S Pierce Of This City, and
Joseph POslshwaits and Two Sons, Of
WsHsl County, Killed.
The news of the Baltimore ond Ohio Rail-

The news of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road horror, occurring at Tiffin early yes
terday morning, created great excitement
in this city, and all day the disaster was
the leading topic of conversation about
town. It was known that several railroad
men from this city were upon the train,
and the rumor was also persistant that one
or.more business men had embarked upon it
Monday evening, bound for Chicago, and
there wa great anxiety up to quite
q late hour last evening to
learn the details and to scan
the list of killed and wounded. Fortunate
ly, the report that Wheeling people were
on board the train as passengers, was un-
true, but several gentlemen had intended
embarking upon it, and were only pre-
vented from leaving for the West Monday
evening by unavoidable delays. Nine
passengers, however, boarded the tram at
the B. 90. depot in this city, which con-
meets with the limited at Benwood, booked
for through passage to Chicago and The
West. They were Mr.. Joseph Postlethwmt
wife and five children, of West, Wet1el
county, and James Sharp and Harvey
Clark, of Washington, Pa. The Pos
tlethwait family were bound for Chllicothe,
Missouri, where they intended to settle on
a farm. They came to this city from Bell
ton, Marshall county, Monday afternoon,
and remained about the depot until the
train left for BenwoOd to catch the limited.
Two of the boys were aged about twelve
and sixteen respectively, and the other
children were very small, one being an IN
FAINT. Messrs. Sharp and Clark, who had
been. spending the holidays with their pa
rents in Washington, were en- route back to
Chicago, where they are IN business to-
gether. They both escaped, but lost their
baggage. OF the POstlethwait family, the
father and the two oldest boys we're killed.
The Chicago limited left Benwood at $50
Monday evening, in charge OF
Thomas J. Heskett. W. 5. Pierce was IN
the express car as messenger, and William
Gates was baggage master. The postal car
was dropped off at Newark, only through
mail pouches being carried from that point
to Chicago. The engineer and fireman
were changed at Newark, that being the
end of the first trans-Ohio division. so the
men from this city who run the engine
that far are all safe. Conductor Heskett
came out of the wreck all right, and
promptly telegraphed his safety to his wife
and the b. & D. officials in this city.
Express Messenger Pierce was not so
fortunate, he being killed, and his body
was so roasted in the fire which broke out
Immediately after the collision that his
remains, last evening, were unrecognlza0le,
in common with a number of others. Poor
Pierce left the express office at the depot
in this city, Monday evening, with a CHERRY
"Well, good bye, boys, till l see you again."
on his lips. In twelve hours all that
was left of him was a mangled and black
ened corpse. He was but twenty-five
years of age, and leaves a young wife, on
Eighteenth street, to mourn his terrible
and untimely end. Pierce came to this
city from Grafton, and was in high repute
among B. q o. men along the line as a
steady, reliable and genial gentleman. His
body will probably be sent home to-day.
The Chicago express, which usually ar
rives in this city at 6:2J p. m, did not
reach here last night until after eleven
o'clock-five hours late. On board of it
was Conductor HeSkett, who had charge OF
the wrecked limited. He was warmly
congratulated by the officers and employees
about the depot, and was piled with ques-
tions as to the number killed and wounded
and his own narrow escape. He hung his
train cap up in the baggage room, donned
an old cap and hurried off home to the
Island, refusing to answer any but the
most general inquiries. He spoke, how
ever. Of the ~unavailing efforts to rescue
MI. Brady, OF Washington City, he being
the Labor leader" mentioned in the dis
patches.
From others on board the train, was.it
learned that William Gates, the baggage
master, was badly hurt and had been
brought in as far as Newark, where he was
left last evening. Gates and Pierce were
sitting together when the accident occurred,
the latter having h;s feet up on the seat
and his knees on o Level win ms chin,
while Gates feet were resting on the floor.
When tho shock came, Gates was hurled
upward, and escaped with serious wounds,
but Pierce fell downward and was Wedged
in among the timbers and crushed to death,
his body being afterwards consumed.
1t was also said last night that the list OF
casualties would not De rs large as first
reports had it, people on the train saying
that but eleven passengers were killei and
three badly wounded, the casualties to
train men not being included in this. The
lanterns which hung in the baggage II
express ears on the wrecked train were also
brought in last night and left at the bag
gage room at the depot. They were pretty
well banged up and are not tit for much
further service.
Conductor Robert Moore, who brought the
east bound express into Wheeling yesIer-
day morning, reports that he passed Con-
6uctor Heskett's train at Tiffin, yesterday
morning, about half an hour before the
accident. Everything was in good shape
at that time, and Captain Moore did not
learn of the accident until he arrived at
this end Of his run.
There was much anxiety in Bellaire last
night over the fate of William Simpson, a
nailer, who was on board the ill-tated
train. Mr.. Simpsons home is in Bellaire.
but he has beeE al ECrEin Milwaukee, and
was 1T home during the holidays. lie
boarded the limited at Bellaire Monday
night.
Ta!s is the worst accident the B. & o.
ever had, and ii as 70 be hoped a repetition
of the disaster will never occ4r. The
blame seems to rest entirely upon the
engineer of the freight train, who is alleged
to have been UadeI the influence Of liquor.
The details of the wreck will be found in
our telegraphie columns.
There Is a Balm for Every Wound.
When life is rendered almost unbearable